THERE OUGHTA BE A LAW.

    Let me clarify my position on private ownership in the United States. I believe in it in most cases.
    Private companies are far more effective economically. In no way can a Gov't owned business thrive and survive in competition with private investment.
    However, I also believe that no privately owned company, Gov't subsidized or otherwise, should be allowed a monopoly on a business that is essential to the well being of a normal, wage earning citizen of  the United States, Senior Citizens and disabled unfortunates included.
    I will use P.S.E. for an example.
    They control use of electricity plus other crucial utilities to millions of people in the Puget Sound area.
    To those recipients, there is no other choice but to accept those services. Services that can mean exreme hardship or even death due to weather conditions if denied.
    The charges for these services can be, and in most cases are, whatever the traffic can bear. Of course this goes without saying with products that are non-essential. However with products that are
non-essential, there is competition in the marketplace to go to that may have the same or similar product that is less expensive.
    That's what happens in a free market society, as it should be. But we can't do that in the case of P.S.E. There's too much "like it or lump it" attitude with them.
    When they shut the power off without speaking to the owner prior to doing it, that's downright wrong somehow. They do come to the door ,yes, but if you aren't home at that particular time, they shut it off anyway, leaving the animals inside to suffer and the place to freeze up.
    In adverse weather they should not be allowed by law to do it. Whatever happens economically in their guaranteed business, they need to be taking their chances like any other independent, private business. After all, they are private stockholders as far as I know.
    Bringing this whole problem to light poses many questions and difficult answers, no doubt, but they don't have to kick a man when he's down like they so often do.
    Besides the lucrative entertaining world of  lobbyists, what are we paying our politicians for?
    I don't know any definite answers to this of course, but a few bucks under the table and I might.
    Get it yet?  Just sayin'.